The Southern Case for School SegregationKilpatrick, James Jackson
History
The Southern Case for School Segregation
Kilpatrick, James Jackson
African Americans -- Segregation; Segregation -- Southern States
In the Delaware case, _Gebhart_ v. _Belton_, the plaintiffs are
Negro children of both elementary and high school age residing
in New Castle County. They brought this action in the Delaware
Court of Chancery to enjoin enforcement of provisions in the state
constitution and statutory code which require the segregation of
Negroes and whites in public schools. Del. Const., Art. X, § 2;
Del. Rev. Code § 2631 (1935). The Chancellor gave judgment for
the plaintiffs and ordered their immediate admission to schools
previously attended only by white children, on the ground that
the Negro schools were inferior with respect to teacher training,
pupil-teacher ratio, extracurricular activities, physical plant, and
time and distance involved in travel. 87 A. 2d 862. The Chancellor
also found that segregation itself results in an inferior education
for Negro children (see note 10, _infra_,), but did not rest his
decision on that ground. _Id._, at 865. The Chancellor’s decree was
affirmed by the Supreme Court of Delaware, which intimated, however,
that the defendants might be able to obtain a modification of the
decree after equalization of the Negro and white schools had been
accomplished. 91 A. 2d 137, 152. The defendants, contending only that
the Delaware courts had erred in ordering the immediate admission of
the Negro plaintiffs to the white schools, applied to this Court for
certiorari. The writ was granted, 344 U. S. 891. The plaintiffs, who
were successful below, did not submit a cross-petition.
[3] 344 U. S. 1, 141, 891.
[4] 345 U. S. 972. The Attorney General of the United States
participated both Terms as _amicus curiae_.
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